‘Ugly truth’: Sad reason you should ditch pyjamas

Your pyjamas might certainly feel cosy, but it turns out wearing them to bed is sending out all the wrong signals.

Janky jammies could be jamming up your sex life.

Flannels and mumus and long johns — oh my, they’re not hot. And wearing any of the above (or worse) to bed can render a couple’s intimacy dead.

“Comfort kills urgency,” Channa Bromley, a relationship coach, warned Newsweek, spilling the ugly truth about the perils of practical pyjamas.

“They are not just nightwear,” insisted the romance pro of more than two decades. “They are a signal. When someone trades in seduction for a fleece onesie, they are not prioritising attraction. They are prioritising ease.

“That shift,” continued Bromley, “subtle as it seems, seeps into every part of a relationship.”

Relationship experts say PJs could negatively impact a relationship. Picture: istock

And no one wants to shift the bed. In fact, romance researchers previously found that catching Zs sans clothes is better than being closed off by cosy, albeit unflattering finery.

A survey via Cotton USA reportedly determined that 57 per cent of lovebirds who sleep in the buff were happier than the 48 per cent who hit the hay in PJs, the 43 per cent of nightmarish nightie fans and the 38 per cent of twosomes who regularly rock onesies.

The findings were echoed by a January 2024 study from Avocado Green Mattress, which revealed that 62 per cent of nude snoozers lead super satisfying sex lives. A heart-pounding 72 per cent of respondents in relationships said bedding down in their birthday suits “positively impacted“ their intimacy.

Going bare-butt could also have positive benefits on one’s physical health — including weight loss.

“Sleeping naked may contribute to better hormonal regulation, including the production of sleep-related hormones like melatonin,” Kecia Gaither, a double board-certified Obstetrician Gynecologist, recently told The Post.

She noted that the hormone boost could rev up a person’s metabolism, potentially helping waist-watchers burn calories as they sleep.

However, for shy sweethearts who aren’t overly comfortable slumbering in just their skins, Bromley suggests keeping bedroom togs steamy rather than sensible.

“Attraction thrives on friction. It needs tension. It needs contrast. It needs the subtle pull of desire against restraint,” she explained to Newsweek. “Comfortable pyjamas strip that away.”

“They erase the visual cues that ignite attraction and replace them with something softer. Something safer.”

Recent research found that couples who sleep naked are happier. Picture: istock

But there is hope for folks who are hopelessly devoted to their homely nightclothes.

“That does not mean wearing cozy sleepwear is the death of intimacy,” she said, adding that it means couples should be more intentional by making an extra effort.

“If both partners are wrapped in layers of fleece and flannel,” continued the pro, “the real question is whether they are still seeing each other as lovers or if they have stopped seeing each other at all.”

Sexologist Candice Nicole Hargons agreed, advising pairs to get creative with their pyjama selection.

“You and your partner can ask each other what type of pyjamas are attractive by saying, ‘pick something for me to sleep in that you find sexy from my current wardrobe,’” she offered.“ Each of you can opt to wear them on a night you designate to see if you feel a bit more turned on with each other,” added Hargons. “If you notice a difference, you can make it a more regular part of your life.”

This story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.

Originally published as ‘Ugly truth’: Sad reason you should ditch pyjamas